


one i wish i'd never played

by butteredsc0tch



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Break Up, M/M, Not A Fix-It, just pure angst, robert is my fave but DEAR GOD he is an idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 07:25:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8569543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butteredsc0tch/pseuds/butteredsc0tch
Summary: Robert loses the game.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I thought about trying to write a fix-it but honestly I'm just too pissed off for that, so I wrote the next best thing which (for me) was Aaron telling Robert to do one. Loosely based around the spoilers for 29th & 30th November. Maybe when I'm not so tired and grumpy and mad at Robert I'll think about fixing the mess I've made here.

It was quiet when Robert closed the front door, which should have been the first sign that things were not quite right. The second sign, which really should have been the most alarming, was the 2 duffle bags hastily packed and dropped carelessly at the bottom of the stairs.

In hindsight Robert would realise that he should have noticed something was wrong straight away, would realise that he should have known something bad was coming. But unfortunately hindsight doesn’t quite work that way.

Aaron was sat at the dining table, head bowed and hands clasped in front of him as he leant on the table top. He was wearing that black jumper; the one Robert loved so much, the one that showed off his biceps through the thin material. 

He looked gorgeous. And Robert smiled at the sight of him.

“Busy day?” Robert said casually, glancing at Aaron over his shoulder as he moved into the kitchen to switch the kettle on. Aaron made a brief noise of acknowledgement and lifted his head slightly.

“Not really, been quiet. Did have a visitor though, after lunch.”

Robert hummed encouragingly and pulled two mugs down from the cupboard. “Oh yeah? Anyone interesting?”

“Depends if you think Rebecca’s interesting or not.”

Robert stopped, mugs still clutched in his hands, and his stomach sunk in fear. He placed the mugs down on the counter and turned slowly to face Aaron, who was still staring down at his hands on the table.

“And do ya Robert? Think she’s interesting?” Aaron asked nonchalant, before he looked up and Robert saw the anger in his eyes. “Are you _interested_ Robert?”

Robert swallowed thickly, knowing from the look in Aaron’s eyes that Rebecca had told him. Told him everything. 

“It’s not how it – ”

“Sounds?” Aaron finished for him, eyebrows raised and mocking. “So she didn’t plant one on ya, and you didn’t kiss her back?”

“Aaron – ”

“You didn’t tell her ‘it’s not the right time’, not ‘it’ll _never_ be the right time because I have a fiancé who I’m supposed to give a shit about.’ Is that what you’re sayin’?”

Robert took a step forward at that, desperate to try and cut Aaron’s anger off before it could spiral out to become something he couldn’t fix. “It was nothing; I swear it to ya Aaron it meant nothing! It was just part of the plan!”

Aaron nodded; face pulled into an unimpressed frown as he’d glanced away and shifted in his seat, shoulders tight and defensive.

“You said I was enough,” he said quietly, upset lacing his voice for the first time. “You said no one else came close.”

“And it’s true!” Robert protested, stepping closer still but not daring to reach out and touch Aaron the way he wanted to. Aaron lifted his gaze to meet Robert’s for the first time, and Robert’s heart broke at the tears building in the corners of his eyes.

“It’s just words Robert. And words don’t mean shit when it comes to you.”

Robert shook his head, sickness rolling heavy in his stomach. “I _love you_ Aaron. I love _you_.”

“And you told Chrissie that too.” Aaron sniffed, wiping quickly at his eyes before steeling his jaw. “You told her over an’ over but it didn’t stop you did it?”

“It’s not the same,” Robert answered quickly, shaking his head. “What I feel for you doesn’t compare – ”

“But it’s not enough to stop you kissing someone else?!” Aaron snapped. “It weren’t enough to tell her no, to leave that family alone like I told ya to!”

“I’m doing this for Andy!”

“No you’re doing this for yourself.” Aaron growled, pushing himself up from the table and moving into Robert’s space. “She told me about that too. The money, Home Farm. You just can’t help yourself can ya?”

Aaron lifted his left hand slightly and Robert watched with horror as the fingers of his right hand moved to pull at the platinum ring.

“Aaron please,” Robert begged, shaking his head as Aaron slid off the ring. “Aaron please don’t!”

“This?” Aaron gestured, holding the band up and waving it back and forth before tossing it down heavy on the table. “This means nothin’.”

“Aaron – ”

“You know I thought about taking a leaf out of mum’s book,” Aaron continued, tone thoughtful despite the tears slowly running down his cheeks. “Thought about keepin’ quiet and taking you to the cleaners before ditching you at the altar, y’know hit you in the pockets where it would _really_ hurt. But it ain’t worth it, _you_ ain’t worth it.”

“Aaron I _swear_ ,” Robert whispered, tears of his own clinging to his lashes as his heart pounded with fear in his chest. “It meant _nothin’_ , it was just a stupid, _stupid_ – ”

“Game?” Aaron laughed humourlessly and Robert’s heart sank. “Yeah, you like playing those don’t ya?”

“Please don’t Aaron,” Robert choked out, hands trembling as Aaron shook his head. “Please don’t leave me.”

“Oh I’m not going anywhere.” Aaron replied determinedly, wiping the tears once more from his face. “Your bags are by the door, you can see yourself out.”

Aaron pushed past him, deliberately avoiding all contact, and then he was gone, door closing behind him much too gently. Robert stared in shock at the table in front of him, tears tracking silent trails down his cheeks; the ring lay still tossed carelessly in the centre, shining brilliantly in the late November sunset.


End file.
